Saturday, January 12, 2008

The title's reference to steps forward and steps back is based on societal progression as postulated within Elliott Wave Theory. Being a fractal construct it is scalable, perhaps though, not as far down as a single upstart university.

At one level BFU is advancing, we are still improving slowly. At another we have taken a step back. We will no longer offer college degree programs.

There was interest in the degree track, just not enough to justify upgrading the learning materials we were making available. We could not afford to offer the quality we sought to provide for the relatively few that were interested.

For now we think it is best to leave Bastiat Free University available to all. There will be no charge to access any of our sites. Get your own books, buy your own materials, and monitor our classes for free.

That had always been an option, for now it is the only option available.

The cost of finding and understanding knowledge is dropping toward zero. Learning will someday be as inexpensive as knowledge acquisition is now. We intend to stay in the vanguard, but acknowledge that doing so precludes covering our expenses at our stage of development. Every degree student we add would increase costs.

Eventually the needs of pursuers of wisdom will prevail. From the introduction to the BFU lens:

Starting before kindergarten, college degrees are marketed as a way to get a better job, more income, or a promotion. Bureaucrats are selling meal tickets to future bureaucrats.

But college degrees are losing value as they become common and as bureaucracies shrink with the ending of the industrial age. That college degree meal ticket no longer guarantees entry to a quality meal.

At student-centric Bastiat Free University your emphasis will be on learning. You can learn at no cost except for books and supplies - just register and monitor the classes. There is finally a college that understands cost appropriate learning.

Change is coming, we will be part of it, we will continue to improve.

Enjoy all BFU has to offer at no charge. We will continue to offer this option; we will regularly revisit the idea of offering students the chance to earn low cost degrees and certificates.

For yourself, you can do the work required in the BFU course guide and save it. It may come in handy in the future. I also mention a way to self teach and give yourself credit in another journal post.

But degrees will continue to decrease in value. What will remain important is your reputation. Rediscover the love of learning - it is your knowledge, integrity, and adaptability that will allow you to excel even as the industrial age crumbles.